Affliction Entertainment was an Americanmixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company created by Affliction Clothing in 2008. The UFC prohibited its fighters from wearing Affliction clothing after learning Affliction was considering also becoming an MMA fight promotion. Donald Trump, who owned a significant equity stake in Affliction Entertainment, was often seen sporting Affliction T-Shirts at the PPV events. Although the promotion bears the Affliction name, it is not run by Affliction Clothing, but is an independent branch of the company.[2]

Contents

Events

Affliction Entertainment has promoted two pay-per-view (PPV) MMA events. The third (Trilogy) was scheduled for August 1, 2009, but was canceled July 24, 2009 due to Josh Barnett testing positive in the pre-screening drug test. Also on July 24, 2009 it was announced that Affliction has folded their MMA Promotion and will sponsor the UFC once again.[3][4]

Affliction: Banned

Affliction entered the world of MMA fight promotion with the announcement of its event Affliction: Banned which took place on July 19, 2008 in Anaheim, California at the Honda Center. The card at Banned featured many of the top MMA heavyweight fighters. The main event was the return of Pride FC Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko fighting against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia.[5] Emelianenko submitted Sylvia thirty-six seconds into the first round to win in convincing fashion. Afterward Emelianenko was crowned the first Heavyweight Champion of the new World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts (WAMMA) independent sanctioning body. The event also saw victories by former UFC Heavyweight Champions Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett and former UFC Light-heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort. Affliction's total attendance (14,832), with a paid attendance of (11,242) and live gate of ($2,085,510) The total disclosed payroll for the event was $3,332,100.[6][7]

Affliction: Trilogy

Affliction: Trilogy was to feature a fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Josh Barnett for the WAMMA Heavyweight title as its headline event at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on August 1, 2009.[13][14] On July 22, 11 days before the scheduled event, the California State Athletic Commission announced it would not license Barnett because he tested positive for a banned substance.[15] Later that day, the CSAC issued a press release which stated that anabolic steroids was the substance detected in Barnett's drug test.[16]